YYZ Video - Bobby Standridge

YYZ-Video-Bobby-Standridge-The-Interview

There was suddenly a BUZZ across the internet one day and RUSH fans from all over were talking about this incredible video that some guy made! I immediately downloaded it and watched it with my mouth wide open and a BIG smile on my face. It was as if a new RUSH album was just released and I was listening for the first time. I was completely amazed by this video and sent the link to EVERY RUSH NUT I knew. I even sent a link directly to Neil himself. Come to find out a bunch of others were sending this same link to Neil's contact link on his new site www.neilpeart.net. It didn't take long before a link appeared on Neil's site! This guy is now a STAR! He will go down in history as a legendary RUSH fan as well as a VERY good graphical GURU! Now lets get a little closer to this guy. Who is this guy? Read below to get a closer look at who he is.

A few of the questions are from some other rushtour.com members. Their rushtour.com names are noted after the question.

Question: I am curious to know when/how you got into Rush? What made you choose YYZ? - Vaportours from rushtour.com

Answer: 1981. Moving Pictures changed my life. I had always been a music fan, and had the standard tastes for a 15 year old of the day (Van Halen, The Police, etc.), but when my next door bud innocently came over one afternoon to turn me on to this "new" band he had discovered, I was hardly prepared to find religion (None of the organized ones had ever/nor have ever worked for me). I became an instant convert.

From that moment forward, I wanted to play drums like that dude right there! In quick succession, all their previous releases became a part of my fast growing vinyl collection. It was a lot to digest, but I gobbled it up like I was just rescued from a desert island.

I chose YYZ to begin my animation journey because I needed a challenging starter project – but not a mission impossible. Of course, like everything I imagine to be doable, it was several orders of magnitude more daunting than I expected. But, I was determined and so I pushed forward.

Also, YYZ, as everybody knows, kicks all kinds of ass!! It screamed out for video accompaniment (which is funny because there’s no vocals on it). :-)

Question: Has Neil seen the 3D video and if so what did he think? - Sharkpedal - Pennsylvania from rushtour.com

Answer:I originally rendered out the video in widescreen format suitable for DVD and had offered it to any and all gratis over a year before my website came out. I even managed to hand some copies to Geddy and Alex personally at the XM Radio event last August in D.C. Apparently Neil had seen it some time shortly afterward and was impressed, though (understandably) a little weirded-out according to his on-tour pal Michael.

I release the site to showcase all my creative junk in early July of this year and emailed the same people (50 or so) who had received a DVD from me to let them know. Things kinda took off from there. Within a week, I get an email from Neil’s guy (Michael again) asking permission to use a Quicktime version of the video on Neil’s site. I didn’t know at the time, but Neil had already considered putting the video there prior to the publishing of my site, but expedited the process due to the crush of emails he was receiving.

Question: When was your first time to see the boys in action?

Answer: I went to every damn concert by everybody in the 80’s, but for some reason, it wasn’t until the Counterparts tour that I finally went to see the boys live. Thinking back, I can’t for the life of me, figure out why that’s so. Oh well. But I haven’t missed a beat since. I even try to catch them in both D.C. and Virginia Beach now. My kid brother lives down in southern Virginia and is a Rush freak also (he looks up to his big bro’), and he has a Rush freak friend whom we team up with on concert day.

Answer: I think I mentioned the XM thing before. Yes, I met the two who have to stand to play. I tried to get in through the normal route offered – a futile internet contest to no avail. But I had an ace in the hole. My ex-girlfriend’s brother worked there and was a Rush fan, and he remembered what a fan I was. He called to say, "Would you like to see these guys?”

Uh, yeh, can I get back to you on that...

It was on the same day of Rush’s concert in D.C. that Geddy and Alex made their appearance at XM. It’s 10:30 am and I’m running late due to my overestimation of public transportation efficiency and luck into a reckless cabby willing to sacrifice innocent bystanders to get me to my destination on time. After a final desperate jog I’m there. The ex’s brother awaits and ushers me in. We travel up and around and through and I snake down a hallway lined with cubicle style radio stations on both sides. He opens a random door, and I spot a studio console manned by an engineer along with a few people scattered about. I’m told to sit down and that he’d be right back. Okay. I sit. I look around a bit nervously then I look up and... there they are! On the other side of the glass panel... just Geddy and Alex sitting there. Strumming. Joshing. Clearing throats. Getting ready for the audience who awaits in another area unawares. Geddy is playfully bemoaning how early it is for him to be stretching his vocal chords. The kinship between these two is immediately apparent. God, what a history they’ve experienced together. I sit enthralled. They warm up for 10 minutes or so and then leave the studio to make way for the eager throng. I smile smugly, knowing that I have already gotten my money’s worth.

After an hour of rib-tickling anecdotes and unplugged heaven, Geddy and Alex retire to a lobby area to sign autographs. My turn arrives, and I hand them copies of the DVD, and when asked by Geddy how long the video took, I respond with my most confident, "hhh hhu. ‘Bout a year. Hhh hhu.”

Question: What is your favorite RUSH Album? (I know it is a tough question! Ok, top 3?)

Endlessly Rockin!

The Voice of Rush Radio

The Voice ...

The guy on the mic is a huge rush fan from Pittsburgh named
Kelly Pidgeon. He spent 12 years at CBS Radio in Pittsburgh as the Production
Director, and is currently a voiceover guy who, for those of you in Canada, is
the guy you hear on Global TV across the country doing all the prime-time
promos. He also does a bunch of TV stations in the US, including KLAS in Las
Vegas, WTMJ in Milwaukee and is still the voice guy at KDKA in Pittsburgh. Did
we mention he is a Rush fan??

What is RUSHCON?

RushCon is the largest North American gathering of fans celebrating the music of Canadian rock band, Rush.

Once a year, fans from all over the world gather for several days of activities such as games, a charity auction featuring rare and collectable band memorabilia, a tribute band concert, important guest speakers from inside the bands' inner circle and much, much more!

Neil Peart - The Writer

In addition to being a musician, Peart also is a prolific writer, having published several memoirs about his travels. Peart is also Rush's primary lyricist. In writing lyrics for Rush, Peart addresses universal themes and diverse subject matter including science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, as well as secular, humanitarian and libertarian themes. All four of his books are travel-based non-fiction, though they diverge into his life and these subjects as well. (reference)
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